What Goes Bump In The Night
by kiwi6226
Summary: When Sydney relializes her true feelings for Nigel will she be able to tell him? And when somethings threatening Sydney will Nigel be able to save her before its to late? SydNigel story sorry for the bad discription please read anyways. lol
1. The Beginning

**What Goes Bump In the Night**

**Hey guys plz review**

**Disclaimer - Relic Hunter and its characters are not mine, I'm not sure who owns them but it's not me so don't sue! lol**

**Dedications - Well I always thought that dedications were sort of cheesy but here I am contradicting myself. I guess I dedicate this story to Aryea, you write the best stories you are my idol when it comes to fanfic.**

**Authors Notes - Sorry guys this chapter is probubly boring but chapter 2 and on will be 500 better I promise chapter one and two are just setting up the story. This will be a **

**SydneyNigel story but things might not go great all the time.**

**PS: sorry if my spelling and stuff is bad I'm using my new laptop and haven't set up Word yet so I'm using WordPad or note pad :S I don't know its the crappy one in accessories.**

**Chapter 1 - Why do we always forget the most important things?**

**It was a normal morning at Trinity University, Sydney fox was in her office staring at the globe on her desk. Karen looked up from her computer screen, and momentarily glanced at Sydney. She must have something important on her mind she thought, silently laughing to herself. Watching her boss deep in thought was like watching a cat watch a mouse. Karen knew what was wrong. Sydney had forgotten Nigel's birthday. She looked back down at her computer screen and continued typing so she would not look suspicious. She was almost done typing out Sydney's schedule for the day. When she was done she would go talk to her boss and help her dig herself out of the hole she was in.**

**It had been three years since Sydney Fox, admired professor and relic hunter had met Nigel Bailey. Looking back on it she didn't know how she had survived without him. He saved her life, helped solve the puzzles when they were on relic hunts and managed to keep her organized and sane. Now it was his birthday and what was she going to do. She had been so wrapped up in her own little world she had forgotten that it was his birthday. She hadn't even got him a present! What to do what to do. The anger of her being so ignorant got to her as she slammed her fist down on her desk. She was jolted out of her little world when she heard the crash as her picture frame hit the floor. "SHIT" she said as she leaped out of her chair and around to the other side of her desk to find the shattered glass surrounding the picture of her and her father. She wished she could start the day over again and do things differently but she couldn't she sighed and took a deep breath to attempt to calm herself down but it wasn't working. She picked up the broken frame and placed it on her desk carefully on its back and turned around just as Karen walked through the door. **

**"Sydney are you ok I heard something break and..." " I'm fine Karen" Sydney said interrupting Karen.**

**"Good, well I'm finished your schedule and I was wondering if you could help me put up decorations" "Decorations?"**

**"Yeah! decorations I knew you wouldn't have had time to pick anything up considering you just came back from a hunt two days ago so I figured I'd pick everything up." Karen called back as she headed to the closet near her desk pulling out 3 big boxes. **

**"Here let me help you" Sydney said racing over to help her assistant knowing she had just been saved from a very uncomfortable apology to Nigel.**

**"We've got to hurry and put everything up; Nigel will be here in half an hour." Karen said. "I know Nigel doesn't like being fussed over but I think that he deserves it" **

**"Well he'll just have to take his attention and like it!" Sydney said with a little giggle, she was already in a 100 better mood.**

**After they were finished setting up they both collapsed in the nearest chairs. They had done about two hours of setting up in fifteen minutes.**

**"This is wonderful Karen thank you, you saved my life" Sydney said **

**"No problem Sydney, I had a feeling you would have forgotten the decorations" Karen said really knowing her friend had forgotten his birthday all together. But she knew if she said that she would really hurt her feelings so she kept quiet.**

**"hey Sydney I don't know what you've planned for today but I got us reservations at Le Chinnois for lunch I hope you don't mind I had booked it a while back, but I'm sure where ever you booked is better so I can cancel it if you want" Karen said.**

**Sydney smiled at Karen, "No that's great" she said looking down trying to hide her quickly blushing face " I just thought we would go to a Kelsey's or something but Le Chinnois is great that's one of Nigel's favorites!" she said, she still couldn't believe she had forgotten her best friend's birthday thank god for Karen she was really a life saver.**

**"Umm Sydney?" Karen said quieter **

**Sydney looked up at her assistant who had suddenly gone quiet **

**"I was wondering if you would come shopping with me at first break, I haven't got Nigel a gift yet and I was wondering if you would help me pick one out" Karen said not looking directly looking at Sydney in fear of her finding out this was really a charade. Karen knew that Sydney had not gotten Nigel a gift yet and it was the perfect excuse for her to buy one. Karen had already picked out a gift for Nigel it had taken her months to decide on one but she could tell Sydney needed to buy him one still but she wouldn't admit it.**

**"Sure Karen" Sydney said not catching on that it was just a charade to help her. "In fact cancel my second class also so we will have more time. We will go to the mall and tell Nigel to go home and get changed for lunch and we will pick him up for lunch." Maybe his birthday wouldn't be so bad after all Sydney thought as she went back to her office.**

**"Great!" Karen said excitedly maybe she'd be able to get a new outfit for lunch while they were at the mall. **

**Sorry guys about the short chapter I guess it's a really boring chapter but I have to set things up for the story to begin. I promise the next will be better. And after that the real story begins.**

**Please review and please try to be nice because this is my first fanfic.**

**-Roxy**


	2. Speed Shopping and French Chinese Food

**What Goes Bump In the Night**

**Hey guys plz review**

**Disclaimer - Relic Hunter and its characters are not mine, I'm not sure who owns them but it's not me so don't sue! Lol**

**Dedications - Well I always thought that dedications were sorta cheesy but here I am contradicting myself. I guess I dedicate this story to Aryea, you write the best stories you are my idol when it comes to fanfic.**

**Authors Notes - Sorry guys this chapter is probubly boring but chapter 3 and on will be 500 better I promise chapter one and two are just setting up the story. This will be a SydneyNigel story but things might not go great all the time.**

**PS: sorry if my spelling and stuff is bad I'm using my new laptop and haven't set up Word yet so I'm using WordPad or note pad :S I don't know it's the crappy one in accessories.**



**Chapter Two - Speed Shopping and French Chinese Food**

**Sydney peered out through a small crack in her closed office blinds trying find to Nigel as he came through the University's courtyard leading to the Ancient Studies Building. She and Karen had turned off all the lights in their office and locked the door so Nigel would think they weren't there. It was a nice spring day outside and there were tons of students outside making it extra hard to spot her assistant. **

**"Is he here yet?" Karen asked letting herself into Sydney's office.**

**"No I don't think so, there's so many students outside I can't see the path clearly." Sydney said "at least we'll be able to hear him when he unlocks the door."**

**"I'm not leaving it to that much of a chance Sydney" Karen said reaching for he purse on her desk. "I can fix this in about thirty seconds" **

**Sydney was puzzled she wasn't quite sure if this was a good thing or not. "What are you doing Karen?" she asked quickly to her young assistant who was now typing away on her cell phone.**

**"Giving us a visual signal of when Nigel gets here" she said as she pushed the send button on the cell phone and throwing it back on the desk.**

**Sydney was still puzzled **

**"I just sent a text message to my friends out there and told them to pass it on" Karen said looking innocent**

**"What did the message say Karen?" Sydney asked**

**"Oh just that Nigel was coming soon and that it was his birthday" Karen said looking away from Sydney**

**"And" Sydney said she wondered what Karen could say that would tell them when Nigel was coming.**

**"Oh well I told them to pass it on to all the girls they know and I mean, what would a birthday be without a few birthday kisses?" she said looking down to hide her smile.**

**Sydney was speechless; she looked out the window again to see the courtyard had just doubled its female occupancy. **

****

**Nigel bailey jumped out of the cab as it pulled up to the campus throwing a ten dollar bill at the driver not waiting for change. If he didn't hurry he would be late, hopefully Sydney would let him off the hook because it was is birthday, but it was rude to be late and the English in him forced him to bolt from the car and start jogging towards his office. He slowed down just as he came around the corner into the courtyard. After a deep breath he looked up he had never seen the courtyard so busy. He calmly started to walk towards the crowd that was in his way of getting inside. As he got closer a few girls looked up at him and started saying something to others nothing out of the normal until 75 percent of them looked at him. He looked down at his clothes, they were neat and tidy. Ran his hand through his hair none was sticking up. He looked around him no one was behind him. He looked back at the group of girls in front of him and gulped.**

**Sydney watched as the path cleared and all the students went into one humongous group. As she looked to the side, she saw him. He slowly walked down the path as he did everyday, she knew because she watched him walk down the path everyday from her office. She laughed silently as a few girls noticed him and he thought he had something on his clothes or in his hair. He was always nervous around females especially the female students. She stopped though as she saw the group of girls swarm around him. It was no longer funny, she could feel her skin getting hotter, and she dug her nails into the window sill why was she angry? Why was she jealous? He was her assistant, not her boyfriend she shook the thought away as she turned around and left her small office. "**

**"He's here" she called to Karen as she hid behind his desk.**

**Nigel was frozen on the spot as the girls swarmed around him. All he could here was "Happy birthday Nigel!" as he was smothered in kisses from the University students. Then his feet kicked in as he tried to push his way through the crowd as he rushed for the doors. He ran as fast as he could and when he got through the doors he felt a little safer they couldn't attack he in the building because they could get in trouble if a teacher caught them. He sighed as he walked towards the Ancient Studies office. He reached for the doorknob and found it was locked, and the lights weren't on. He sighed as he pulled out his keys. It looks like I'm not the only one who slept in today he thought to himself. **

**He walked into the office not even turning on the lights as he walked over to his desk, he put his bag down and nearly jumped out of his skin when Sydney popped out from underneath his desk and yelled "SURPRISE!". Karen jumped out of the closet and turned on the lights.**

**"Happy Birthday Nigel" Sydney and Karen said in unison. He looked up and noticed that their office was decorated to the fullest extent**

**"Thank you guys, but you really didn't have to do this" he said giving them both a hug.**

**Sydney hugged him a little tighter than usual but he didn't think anything of it.**

**"Oh Nigel what happened?" Sydney asked looking at her lipstick covered assistants face. She knew what had happened but he didn't have to know that she did.**

**"Oh some of the female students found out it were my birthday." he said looking away so she couldn't see he was embarrassed.**

**"Speaking of students don't you two have a class to teach?" Karen asked as she grabbed Sydney's lesson for her as she went back to her desk.**

**"Oh I almost forgot" Sydney said accepting the lesson "common Nigel, just because it's your birthday doesn't mean you don't have to work."**

**"Coming Mum" he said following Sydney out of the office with a laugh.**

**The lesson had gone great, they had taught about Cleopatra, a pretty well known topic but they had gone into some unknown parts of Cleopatra's history.**

**"So Nigel, Karen booked us all a reservation at Le Chinnois so is it all right if we drop you of at home to get ready, Karen and I have a few errands to do before lunch" Sydney said **

**"Sure that would be great I wouldn't feel right going to a restaurant like this" he said glancing down at his clothes. They had become slightly ruffled since he was attacked in the morning.**

**"Great I'll pick you up around 1:30 then" Sydney said that would give her lots of time to buy a present and help Karen buy one too.**

**Sydney and Karen dropped Nigel off at his apartment building at 11:30 am.**

**"I said we would pick him up around 1:30 that should give us lots of time" she said smiling at Karen quickly then looking back at the road.**

**If there was one thing Sydney Fox was good at that didn't have to do with teaching or a relic it would be shopping.**

**"There's this cute little store that I passed one day last week we should look there' Karen said as she counted her money.**

**"What did it sell" Sydney asked **

**"Antiques and old book mostly stuff that Nigel would like and its one street away from the mall so if we don't find anything we can head there." Karen said**

**"Great" Sydney said as she turned the comer towards the mall.**

**5 minutes later they had arrived at the old little store.**

**They were greeted by an old lady behind the cash register.**

**Sydney and Karen split up so they could search quicker. Sydney walked towards the humongous shelf of old books. It was amazing the books were all beautiful with colored leather outsides with gold patterns on there spines and covers. She glanced over all the titles. Famous books such as Moby Dick, and Treasure Island. She was sure that Nigel had read all of these books at one time or another. In the corner of her eye she saw another bookshelf one that she hadn't noticed before it was smaller and older and the books were covered in dust. She wiped the dust of the spines of the books as if they were relics. These books were much older and weren't in great condition.**

**"Miss?" Sydney was startled when she turned around to find the old lady who owned the shop calling her.**

**"Yes" she said in reply to the woman**

**"Miss I can't help but being nosy but wouldn't you prefer one of the books over there?" she pointed over to the beautiful books Sydney had already looked at.**

**"Oh sorry I didn't know these weren't for sale I just thought they were older." Sydney said as she walked over to the old lady.**

**"They are for sale miss but nobody ever wants them" The old lady said "you can help yourself but be careful some are not in very good condition"**

**"Oh thank you" Sydney said eagerly retuning back to the old books.**

**The books were mostly legends, and fairy tales, but there were some history books. She crouched down to see the books on the bottom shelf and a small black one caught her **

**Eye.**

**She pulled it out and blew off the dust carefully. It had a plain black leather cover with a leather string attached at its spine, it actually looked like the leather tie around her neck but this one was used to keep the book closed sort of like an old diary. She sat down on the floor and carefully opened the book to the first page. St. Gabriel the Brave was the title of the book. Sydney smiled at her luck. Nigel's father had told him about St. Gabriel when he was a child and they had found his sword in the stone earlier this year. This was the perfect gift for Nigel. She hurried over to the cash register and bought the book. It was a good thing Karen hadn't noticed. Oh yeah Karen, Sydney thought to herself I'm supposed to help Karen pick out a gift for Nigel. She looked around the store and spotted her assistant looking at some antiques on a table. **

**"Hey Karen have you found anything yet" Sydney asked as she walked towards her friend.**

"**Yeah maybe what about this" she said pointing out an old picture frame she knew that Nigel wouldn't want it but she had to make it look like she hadn't picked anything yet.**

**"MMMM I don't think so Karen" Sydney said too thrilled with her find to notice it was a charade.**

**"What about this then" Karen said as she walked over to another table and picked up and antique pen set.**

**"nooo he uses his laptop remember" Sydney said not fully paying attention**

**"Ohh what about this" she said rushing over to the item she really wanted to buy.**

**"What is it?" Sydney said meeting her assistant at the other table**

**It was a fairly large wooden box that was beautifully engraved and had amber stones placed in as a pattern.**

**"He could put his laptop in it when you guys go on hunts so it's protected" she said as she opened the hinged lid.**

"**Your right it would fit perfectly" Sydney said**

**"It's decided then" Karen said as she walked over to the cash register.**

**"Thanks for helping me pick out a gift Sydney" Karen said as they both got into Sydney's black jeep.**

"**No problem Karen" Sydney said "Hey we still have an hour to shop before we pick up Nigel want to hit the mall quickly?"**

**"Sure" Karen said she would never pass up an opportunity to go to the mall.**

**They only had so much time so Sydney and Karen were doing what they did best speed shopping.**

**They dropped into a few stores but spent the most time in Le Chateau and Costa Blanca, and Aldo. Karen picked out a cute but casual pink dress from Le Chateau it was a wrap around style dress which tied at the waist and had a plunging neckline it was quite pretty as it had a small cut out pattern at the bottom and around the bottom of the 3/4 sleeves. She also got matching pink high heeled sandals from aldo. Sydney had bought a skirt and shirt combo from Costa Blanca. The Skirt was black and ended just before her knee and the shirt was also black. It had 3/4 sleeves and a plunging neckline it was casual but she would be able to wear it to work again so she bought it. She also bought a pair of black High healed sandals from aldo. She looked at her watch they had 15 minutes left till they had to pick up Nigel. **

**"Common Karen we got to go now" she said pulling her friend out of the mall with her as if they were running away from armed gunmen. They leaped into Sydney's jeep before they took a breath.**

**"You can change at my house" Sydney said as she speed out of the mall parking lot and into a more suburban area. **

**They pulled into Sydney's driveway about two minutes later. They jumped out of the car and Sydney dashed for the door. Karen stood there for a moment taking in her surroundings she had never been to Sydney's house before. She thought it was quite beautiful actually much better then her small apartment near Campus. It was a red brick town house with a small porch. Sydney took great care of a little garden out front considering she was almost never there. There was a small tree and a garden filled with roses and other flowers. Karen shook herself out of her thoughts when she heard Sydney's door open and followed her inside. **

"**Don't bother taking off your shoes you can change in the guestroom its upstairs on your right" she heard Sydney say as she had disappeared upstairs.**

**"Okay" she called out as she hurried up the stairs. She found the guest room quickly and started to change. When she was done she sat downstairs in Sydney's living room admiring the gift she had bought for Nigel. Her plan had gone off without a hitch and she had saved Nigel's birthday.**

**Sydney ran into her room quickly after telling Karen to change in the guest room. She quickly changed and brushed her hair and then grabbed some wrapping paper from her closet. She had to make it look like she had already bought and wrapped Nigel's present along time ago so she would have to make do. She grabbed some cosmetic scissors and tape from her drawer and wrapped the book quickly but carefully so she would not ruin the delicate old book. **

**"Here" she said throwing the roll of wrapping paper at Karen from the bottom of the stairs and the quickly grabbed some real scissors and tape from her kitchen. **

**"Thanks" Karen said as she accepted all the items and started to wrap Nigel's present. **

"**Your house is beautiful syd" she said as she handed back the stuff"**

**"Thanks" Sydney said as she left the stuff on the kitchen table "Let's go"**

**They arrived at Nigel's apartment building with one minute to spare. Nigel spotted them and got in the back of the car "Hello Sydney, Hello Karen" he said greeting them with a smile "so where are we going I forget?"**

**"You're in for a treat Nigel" Sydney said "Karen got us reservations at Le Chinnois"**

**"Great that's my favorite!" Nigel replied "thanks Karen"**

**"You're welcome Nigel" Karen said as they drove towards the restaurant.**

"**You know I can't quite understand why the French can make such good Chinese food" Nigel said after finishing his sesame chicken**

"**Yeah I don't know maybe you should ask the waitress" Sydney said with a giggle**

**Nigel blushed as their waitress winked at him as she walked by. **

"**Oh Nigel you should open your gifts now" Karen said excitedly as she reached into her purse and handed him the large package.**

**"Oh I couldn't your not done yet" he said to Karen as he set the present down on the table**

**"Oh I'm full I'll get them to put it away for me, now open you gift" she said **

**"If you insist" Nigel replied as he started to open the package.**

**"Oh Karen it's beautiful" he said when he revealed the gift**

"**I thought you could put your laptop in it when your guys go on hunts, it will help protect it see?" Karen replied happily knowing he liked the gift showing him the inside of the box.**

**"This is great my Laptop will fit just perfectly" he said as he got up and hugged Karen "thank you I love it" **

**"Here mine next" Sydney said passing him the present when he sat down again**

**"Be careful it's really delicate" she said as he started to open it**

**Nigel carefully opened the wrapping paper around the book. It looked like an old diary. He looked up at her puzzled and she was staring back at him smiling**

**"Nigel you actually have to open the book to see what it is" she said **

**Nigel looked back down at the old book in his hands and carefully untied the leather tie around it and opened it to the first page.**

**A small tear welled up in his eye and he blinked it away still staring at the book. She had remembered how much that story had meant to him**

**"Oh Syd" he said in a quiet whisper Karen could hardly hear it**

**"I'm going to go to the bathroom" Karen said as she quickly got up from the table, she could tell her friends needed a minute alone.**

**Sydney did not even look at Karen when she left the table she just continued to stare at Nigel**

**"You remembered" he said whispered quietly in her ear as he embraced her in a hug. **

**She felt so comfortable in his arms so warm, so safe "Of course I did I would never forget" she whispered back.**

**Whoo wow I never thought that writing fanfic was so hard! Sorry I learned from putting up my first chapter to use underlines not stars over the eight button as dividers lol I no I no I'm sorry another boring chapter but I swear on My Life the real story begins in the next chapter**

**Please read and review and please try and be nice this is my first fanfic.**

**-Roxy **


	3. When Your All Alone

**What Goes Bump In the Night**

**Hey guys plz review**

**Disclaimer - Relic Hunter and its characters are not mine, I'm not sure who owns them but it's not me so don't sue! Lol**

**Dedications - Well I always thought that dedications were sorta cheesy but here I am contradicting myself. I guess I dedicate this story to Aryea, you write the best stories you are my idol when it comes to fanfic.**

**Authors Notes - Sorry guy's chapter 3 and on will be 500 better I promise chapter one and two are just setting up the story. This will be a SydneyNigel story but things might not go great all the time.**

**PS: sorry if my spelling and stuff is bad I'm using my new laptop and haven't set up Word yet so I'm using WordPad or note pad :S I don't know it's the crappy one in accessories.**

**Chapter Three - When you're all alone**

**Nigel's birthday had gone great! Of course it was all thanks to Karen but she didn't care she would never forget his birthday again and next year it would be way better.**

**It was 10:39 when she stumbled into her town house. After work she and Nigel had gone out to dinner and a bar alone to celebrate, just as friends though. As usual she was greeted by her cat Maftet who was weaving around her legs happy to see someone was home to feed her. Sydney took off her shoes and stood up a little to quickly, she was not drunk but she was a little tipsy. "Common kitty lets get you some food" she said calling to her cat as she went into the kitchen. She made herself some coffee and sat on her couch watching the end of The Simpson's it was an episode she'd seen many times, the one where homer decides to grow a lobster and name it Pinchy. Even though she drank coffee her eyelids had begun to become very heavy. "Let's go to bed cat' she said to the furry sleeping ball on her lap as she headed upstairs. **

**She was so tired but she couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the day came back into her mind. She suddenly remembered how sad she was when she saw those girls swarm Nigel she had been so jealous of them. They kissed and hugged him why wasn't she kissing him she wanted to kiss him... wait, what? Nigel was her assistant, and her best friend she couldn't ruin their friendship over a crush. She tried to shake it off but the feeling of being alone had set in. She was there in her bed all alone and the one she truly wanted was a couple of miles away probubly already sleeping. She tried to forget it but she couldn't now and the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach hurt tremendously she closed her eyes as one tear fell out and she tried to go to sleep. **

_**"Oh Syd" he said in a quiet whisper **_

_**"You remembered" he whispered quietly in her ear as he embraced her in a hug. **_

_**She felt so comfortable in his arms so warm, so safe. She held him tighter she never wanted him to let go.**_

_**"Of course I did I would never forget" she whispered back.**_

**She heard it then, the phone bringing her back out of her dream.**

**"Hello?... Nigel?" she said still half asleep, please let it be Nigel she thought.**

**"Hello... is anybody there?" she said awake now **

**Silence**

**"I can't hear you" she said sitting up in bed**

**"Hello is something wrong?" she started to get worried know**

**"Nigel is that you? Are you ok is something wrong" she was fully awake now. Nigel had promised if anything ever was bad he'd call her if he could and she'd do the same.**

**"I see you" a whispered voice said **

**Sydney could tell it was a man but she couldn't tell who**

**"This is a joke right? Very funny "she said "Now if you don't mind I'm going to go back to sleep go prank call someone else" she said**

**As she hung up the phone.**

**She wasn't afraid of a prank phone call, she didn't live in a horror movie and besides she was Sydney Fox she could take care of herself.**

**The phone rang again she looked at the call display this time... it was a private number, damn it it could be anyone she thought.**

**"Hello" she said**

**... Silence**

**"Oh it's you again" she said she knew how to get rid of prank callers she got a lot because she had so many enemies and she was known by all the students.**

**"You must have something important to tell me if you're calling this late at night" she said putting on her girly charm**

**...silence**

**Damn she thought, usually that got them talking.**

**"If you're so shy why did you call back?" she asked, she would coax an answer out of this creep sooner or later**

**"Common talk to me I'm really not as scary as I seem" she said innocently**

**"What's it like being alone... in the dark?" a whisper said**

**"Ah" she croaked he had caught her off guard**

**"With no one there to protect you" he whispered**

**"I can protect me and I'm not alone" she said hoping he couldn't see through her lie**

**"I know, I'm here" he whispered before he hung up**

**She leaped out of bed and grabbed her knife when she heard a car drive away outside.**

**I don't understand this site :( could someone please send m a message on how to do dividers in a story if you could I would really appreciate it :)**

**Short chapter I know but know the real story is starting please read and review and please try to be nice this is my first fanfic.**

**-Roxy**


	4. no sleep equals a tiring day or does it?

**What Goes Bump In the Night**

**Hey guys plz review**

**Disclaimer - Relic Hunter and its characters are not mine, I'm not sure who owns them but it's not me so don't sue! Lol**

**Dedications - Well I always thought that dedications were sorta cheesy but here I am contradicting myself. I guess I dedicate this story to Areya, you write the best stories you are my idol when it comes to fanfic.**

**Authors Notes - this will be a SydneyNigel story but things might not go great all the time.**

**PS: sorry if my spelling and stuff is bad I'm using my new laptop and haven't set up Word yet so I'm using WordPad or note pad :S I don't know its the crappy one in accessories.**

**Chapter 4 - no sleep a tiring day... or does it?**

**Karen looked up from her computer screen as she greeted her boss as she came in.**

**"Morning Sydney" Karen said brightfully "Ohh Syd what happened, did you not get any sleep?" Her boss looked terrible her hair wasn't brushed as neatly as usual and she was sort of slumped over as if she had already had a hard day.**

**"Hi Karen" was all Sydney said before she slunked into her office. **

**Karen hardly ever saw her boss like this she could see Sydney in her office slumped over her desk with her head in her hands. She did not look good at all. **

**Karen decided to go grab her some coffee before her first lesson she would need it.**

**Sydney had not gone back to sleep since she had gotten the last call, she had sat in the shadows on her couch waiting for that creep to dare cross her path. But he had succeeded in his task He had scared the invincible Sydney Fox and she was not happy about it at all. She was surprised that she actually made it to her office. She was so tired and the small hangover she had wasn't helping. Karen had been cheery as usual when she came in but had left Sydney alone in her office. She slumped herself over her desk and cradled her head in her hands. She was not looking forward to the day ahead of her. She closed her eyes.**

**"_I see you"... "what's it like being alone, in the dark"..."I know you're not alone, I'm here"_**

**"HHUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH" Sydney jolted awake as she heard some one come in her office **

**She tried to calm herself down and compose herself as she looked up at Nigel and Karen.**

**"Syd are you alright?" Nigel asked he was really concerned he had never seen Sydney like this before.**

**"Yeah are you alright syd?" Karen asked as she handed her boss the cup of coffee she had just made.**

"**Yeah yeah I'm fine I just dosed off, I didn't get much sleep last night that's all" she said as she gratefully accepted the coffee from Karen.**

**" Good well you got a class in five minutes and I've got to finish the budget so if you excuse me" Karen said as she went back to her desk closing Sydney's office door behind her as she left.**

**"Did you have nightmares? Syd" Nigel asked sitting on the chair in front of the desk. "I no sometimes after I have a drink I get nightmares." he said looking out the window so he didn't sound accusing **

"**Yeah just nightmares" she said after taking a big gulp of coffee as if she were pondering something.**

**She watched Nigel for a second and then glanced at what he was looking at out the window she suddenly remembered how she felt last night and the pit in her stomach grew. She stared at him... when did he get so attractive, his eyes were so... so mesmerizings**

**"Syd, Syd?" he said tiring to get her attention she was staring at him with a dreamy look on her face, god you must be tired he said to himself.**

**"Huhh" she said snapping out of her own little dream world she had never noticed how beautiful his eyes were.**

**"Will be able to teach your class let alone the ones later on? I mean your so tired syd, I can teach if you want me to" Nigel said still concerned with the state of his friend.**

**"Yeah, I'm sure I'll snap out of it" Sydney replied rubbing her eyes **

**"if your sure, I'll go get your lesson" Nigel said as he turned to the door, "oh syd, I don't know about you, but I needed one of these this morning" he said turning back to her and putting a small bottle of Advil on her desk, then he quickly left.**

**As soon as the door shut Sydney rushed for the Advil, at least she could get rid of her headache. Nigel always thought of everything and was never rude about it. He always took such good care of her she thought smiling as she swallowed the pills with the last sip of her coffee. She could tell this was going to be a trying day, but with the thought of spending it with Nigel made it sound like a good thing.**

**Her classes had all gone well as usual, the students were attentive and always answered questions. She seemed to always have a good set of kids to teach, although some needed some guidance from time to time she knew deep down they were all really good kids.**

**From time to time she let Nigel teach segments of the class when she was tired, but more or less it was to watch him. She had never noticed how his muscles had grown since he had first come to her. He was now a far cry from the meeker teaching assistant she had thrown a spear at, all be it a cute one now that she actually thought about it. She could see the outline of his muscles in his cashmere pull over. Oh how she loved to watch him. Hopefully none of the students had noticed she had been staring at him for the whole class, and did not even look over when a student fell out of their chair to try and get her attention.**

**"Hey syd whatcha doing for spring break?.. I mean if were not on a hunt?" Nigel asked pausing to admire some flowers. They had gone out for a walk between classes.**

**"Actually I don't know... maybe I'll go to Hawaii for a break and go visit my father and jenny, you know hang out on the beach relax, that is if we finish preparing the exams" she said wrapping her arm through his and gently pulled him into walking again. She smiled and batted her eyelashes at him in an attempt to flirt with him but not getting a response. Man its hard to flirty with him Sydney thought to herself looking away from him to hide her disappointment. He wouldn't know if her signals hit him in the head. She knew it was probably her fault for sending him mixed signals for three years, but she was not going to give up now. She would just have to be a little less subtle that's all.**

**"Oh that sounds nice" he replied not sure what to say. there she was again sending him mixed signals, at times she made it very clear they were just friends but yet again here she was batting eyelashes and touching arm and walking closer than normal to him. She was such a flirt sometimes, she probably didn't notice she was doing it half the time, or did she do it intentionally? All he knew is that sometimes she made him doubt his sanity.**

**"Nigel!" he suddenly heard "Huhh... what" he said looking at her **

**"Did you just here what I even said? You were off in your own lala land" she said looking concerned**

**"Oh sorry syd I just was thinking for a second what did you say?"**

**"I said what are you doing for the break" Sydney repeated rolling her eyes. Nigel always listened to her; he must have something on his mind.**

**"Oh I don't know, I'll probably stay here and catch up on my reading. we've been on so many hunts lately I feel like I haven't read in ages." he said truthfully, although he really wished he could read some books he really wanted to spend the time with Sydney.**

**"Why don't you come with me then?" Sydney said "I mean spring break is a time meant for relaxing and hanging out with your friend's right?" damn she wish she hadn't just said friends. There she was sending him more mixed signals. **

**"Oh no I wouldn't want to impose on your time with your dad syd" Nigel said, secretly jumping for joy at her invitation, even if she said just as friends yet again. He knew he could never compare to the Adonis's she always fell for. Spending time with his best friend was way better then sitting in his apartment alone reading for a week.**

**"nonsense, we'll go visit him for a day or two and maybe have dinner but we don't have to stay at his house" she said she really wanted him to come but it seemed like it was going to be impossible to get him to go.**

**"I'll think about it" he said he knew he wanted to say yes but it was her time with her dad and he didn't want to intrude.**

**"Ok" she said looking back to the Ancient Studies building "we better get back" unwrapping her arm from his and started walking back not waiting for him. She tried her best to hide the hurt in her voice.**

**"Syd" Nigel said staring at his friend, it was hard to hear but he could sense he small flicker of hurt in her voice. " I didn't say no, lets just see how things go, and how busy we are before you get your hopes up on Hawaii" He said catching up with her.**

**"Really?" she said trying to contain her happiness; her heart had just jumped out of her chest and back in again. she looked back at him forcing herself to not let the stupid grin that was threatening to show itself appear on her face. Instead she allowed a small smile.**

**"Of course syd, who wouldn't want too spend their spring break with their best friend" he said this time linking his arm through hers as they walked back to their office.**

**"Great" she said. She cringed inside when she heard the words best friend but was too focused on the fact that he said he would possibly go. As for the best friend thing, she would fix that soon enough. **

**Sorry guys if some of my info is wrong I just started watching the show seriously about a month ago… and if I don't get the courtship flirting stuff right give me a break I only turned fifteen a few days ago lol please read and review and please try not to be vicious lol**

**-Roxy **


	5. The Realization

**What Goes Bump In the Night**

**Hey guys plz review**

**Disclaimer - Relic Hunter and its characters are not mine, I'm not sure who owns them but it's not me so don't sue! Lol**

**Dedications - Well I always thought that dedications were sorta cheesy but here I am contradicting myself. I guess I dedicate this story to Areya, you write the best stories you are my idol when it comes to fanfic.**

**Authors Notes - this will be a SydneyNigel story but that's not the only plot.**

**PS: sorry if my spelling and stuff is bad I'm using my new laptop and haven't set up Word yet so I'm using WordPad or note pad :S I don't know it's the crappy one in accessories.**

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**Chapter 5 - The realization**

**Since the morning Sydney's day had improved by about 300. She was no longer tired due to the fact that Nigel said he may go on holidays with her, and she had forgotten that horrible sluggish feeling. She came home quickly and had made dinner, feeding her cat Maftet who seemed glad to see she was home so early two days in a row. She was to busy daydreaming about the possibilities of her going to Hawaii with Nigel. She forgot she had to call her dad. She ran into the living room picking up the phone and dialing his number from memory.**

**"Hello?"**

**"Hi dad! its Sydney" she said sitting down on the couch**

**"Oh hi Sydney what happening are you guys still up to your knees in snow?"**

**"No dad" she said laughing "it's the end of March not December"**

**"So it is" he said putting her on speakerphone and calling jenny over "Jenny come here Sydney's on the phone"**

**Sydney laughed to herself, she could hear jenny racing down the hall, her stiletto sandals clicking on their marble floor. **

**"Hi Syd! I'm so glad you called, we've missed you" Jenny said **

**"Hi jenny! Yea I missed you guys too." Sydney said she and jenny were such great friends now compared to when they first met.**

**"Anyways I wanted to call and tell you guys Nigel and I will probably be coming down to Hawaii for the spring break." she said smiling at the thought.**

**"Oh really?" her father said trying to sound serious "are you two finally going out?" he said, he hoped that was what was happening he liked Nigel and he could tell he loved Sydney.**

**"No dad were just friends" she said but that would change very soon if she could help it.**

**"Sure you are..." her dad said but was cut off by jenny " That's great syd we cant wait to see you two you'll have to come stay with us for a while and your dad can show you two around it will be wonderful!" **

"**That sounds great but we will have to see what comes up but I'm 85 sure we can come"**

**"Oh have you not booked a flight and hotel yet?" her dad said concerned he knew how busy it got at spring break.**

**"Shoot I forgot all about it, I'll go do that now" she said "Bye Dad, Bye Jenny" **

**"Bye Syd" they said before she hung up.**

**She had forgotten about the flight and the hotel, it was going to be almost impossible with spring break only three weeks away. But on the other hand, if she already booked a flight and hotel, then Nigel wouldn't be able to say no. She smiled at her thought as she raced up to her room to her Laptop.**

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**: Sold out, Booked, and no Vacancies were the words she saw on her computer screen for the last three hours. Sydney was starting to get worried they would never get to Hawaii. She closed her laptop and got a drink from downstairs to try and calm her down. She came back upstairs and opened her laptop again; she once again started her search. The were a few openings at dingy 1 star hotels and motels but she wanted something better. 45 minute later she was at her last straw she clicked on one more ad. Hmm the Royal Blue Hawaiian she muttered to herself five stars, and ... she said to herself looking down at the room's available part of the page... no rooms she said growling to herself. Wait a glimpse of green caught her eye father down the page. Available the word said in green she looked over at what kind of room was available Luxury suite. Hmmm this would cost a pretty penny but she decided to look at it anyway. She looked at the picture it was defiantly impressive the hotel was beautiful with a large pool and a white sandy beach with clear blue water. The room though was absolutely spectacular though. all white with one wall made of pure glass facing the ocean and revealing a lush green tropical forest to the sides of the hotel it was breathtaking, even just on her computer screen. She had never seen such a view even though she had grew up there. Not to mention the humongous king sized canopy bed the beautiful living room and the large Jacuzzi tub. It was settled she was getting that room, it was pricey but it would be worth it. Nigel was going if he liked it or not. she called the hotel right away not taking the chance of waiting on she booked the room with her credit card and the lady she was talking to assured her the room was exactly like the one on her computer. Now all she had to do was book the flight. **

**Finding a flight wasn't as hard as finding a hotel it had only taken her an hour... not four and for that she was grateful. But by then she was sick of looking at her computer screen so she quickly ordered the tickets and closed her laptop about ready to go to bed. She went and changed and just as she came back in her room she heard her computer beep. **

**Nigel had programmed her laptop to beep when ever she got an email. She really didn't want to read it right now but she went over to the computer anyways. **

**Her inbox popped up on the screen showing a new email. She looked for the email address but it was blocked. And there was no subject. She opened it anyways.**

_**Sweet dreams, I'll be watching**_

"**Damn!" she said out loud it was that creep again but then she remembered he couldn't get inside the house last night. And she didn't even have her alarm on! She thought to herself. He's just some punk trying to scare you she thought to herself as she went downstairs and turned on her alarm. It wasn't going to work this time, no one fooled her twice. She went back upstairs and went to bed forgetting all about the email by the time she closed her eyes. She was too excited about her now definite trip to Hawaii with Nigel. She smiled in her sleep as she drifted into a dream.**

**She was totally unaware she was being watched.**

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**Short chapter I no... btw to my knowledge that hotel doesn't exist but I saw a room like it on a travel site when my dad got married in may... it was absolutely spectacular and it was a little pricey but trust me it was worth it, I think it was in the Dominican republic though :S I don't know I forget anyways please R&R**

**-Roxy**


	6. Morning Confessions

**What Goes Bump In the Night**

**Hey guys plz review**

**Disclaimer - Relic Hunter and its characters are not mine, I'm not sure who owns them but it's not me so don't sue! Lol But I did make up the story so plz ask before you reproduce it :)**

**I would like to thank katia1, and Tanya Reed for reviewing the story! I really appreciate it and am so pleased you liked my story so far!**

**Um Sorry I've just looked over the story now on and noticed my percentage signs weren't showing up :( If anyone could send me a message on how to fix that I would really appreciate it!**

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**Chapter 6 – Morning Conf essions**

**As usual Nigel came straight home from work, made dinner, and read. **

**No matter how hard he tried to concentrate his mind kept drifting back to the days events.**

**As soon as they got to class he noticed Sydney had been feeling better. Though she did let him teach some of the classes. She said it was because she was tired but a small part in the back of his mind doubted that. more than a few times he had looked back at her, only to find her staring at him with a dreamy look on her face. He had given her an awkward smile a few times and then returned his attention back to the class. It had seemed as if he wasn't the only one noticing it either. The Students were attentive as always but he could see that their eyes were drawn over to the oblivious professor. He even thought one of the students in the class had fallen out of their chair to try and get her out of her own little world, and failed miserably. She hadn't even flinched her gaze on him unwavering.**

**Nigel couldn't quite comprehend it. He was sure she didn't have any romantic feelings for him. After all he couldn't compare to any of her former lovers.**

**He would never admit his true feelings to her, he would not risk it. If that ever happened it could change their relationship for better or for worse. Even with the slim chance of it getting better, he felt that with the large worse possibility it outweighed the good one, and he would never risk their relationship. He didn't know how he could live without Sydney. Even if it meant them just being friends he would accept it, she was his rock. The most stable thing he had ever had in his life, and he loved her. He would do anything for her even if it meant keeping his true feelings hidden. **

**Although today on their walk he had gotten the feeling she was flirting with him. But yet again she was sending him mixed signals. To him, Sydney as the Queen of mixed signals. It seemed as if she did it on purpose sometimes to make him doubt his sanity. She played the game very well, to kiss him and forget about it or make it seem like nothing happened. Something told him this was different though. Today she had invited him to go on vacation with her, just as friends of course. That didn't stop him from imagining it. He had always wanted to see Hawaii, he had never been. Whenever she talked about it she made it sound like paradise. He wished with all his heart he could go with her, but he knew he couldn't. It would be her time with her dad. It would be rude to intrude on that. **

**As he drifted though his thoughts he drifted into sleep, imagining him and Sydney relaxing on a warm sunny beach with no cares. How wonderful it would be. He knew it would never happen but that didn't stop him from dreaming.**

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**Sydney awake with a start. Maftet had pounced on her stomach thinking there was something under the blanket because of her breathing. She had fought many people, but when Maftet pounced with all her weight in her front paws it always knocked the wind out of her. "Ouch Cat you pack a lot of Punch" she said laughing at the small black cat as she sat up in bed and cradled the affectionate animal. "I see you missed me" she said as the cat nuzzled in her neck showering her with kisses and purring loudly. "Well I missed you too, Come on lets go get you some breakfast" she said as she slowly got out of bed and went downstairs. **

**It was only 6:00am and she was not entirely ready to wake up yet. Contrary to popular belief she was not an early riser. She usually got up at 7:00am and got ready quickly in an hour. She feed the cat and went upstairs; she might as well start getting ready because she was not going to be able to get back to sleep. She grabbed a towel and turned the shower on and sighed as the warm water hit her back, it was so relaxing. She allowed herself to stay in the shower way longer then usual waiting until the hot water turned into a cool blast waking her up from being half asleep. **

**She went downstairs and gabbed herself a yogurt smoothie she had picked up before their last hunt. She drank it all in two sips and headed back upstairs to get ready. She wasn't really a breakfast person either but she attempted to eat it because she knew it was good for her.**

**As she came back into her room her heart skipped a beat. she saw Maftet eagerly jumping out her window and onto a tree branch about two feet from her window, there was no doubt that she was going after a nest of baby birds just one branch higher.**

**"MAFTET!" She screamed as she raced over to her window reaching out and pulling the cat back to safety. "Don't you ever do that again!" she screamed as the cat backed away from her. Sydney sighed when she saw the cat trying to hide from her. She noticed how loud her voice was and then kneeled down and picked up the cat. She didn't mean to scare the cat she just was worried, and was afraid the cat was going to get hurt. "There, there its ok, I'm sorry it wasn't your fault I shouldn't have left that window open." Her eyes opened suddenly at what she said. She hadn't opened that window, not this morning or last night. She rushed to the window to see if anyone was still there, but there wasn't. But that horrible feeling came back to her as she remembered that email and the phone calls.**

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**"Morning Sydney!" Karen chirped as her boss came in the door **

**"Morning Karen" Sydney said with a smile, a talk with Karen would get her mind off that stupid prank caller. Whoever it was was doing a damn good job. She was beginning to doubt her sanity she must have opened her window herself because if she hadn't the alarm would have gone off.**

**"Got a better sleep last night I see" Karen said she was so glad her boss was back to normal **

**"Hey go grab Nigel's chair and we can chat, he won't be here for 45 minutes at least." she said to Sydney as she closed her finished work on the computer.**

**"Sounds good to me" Sydney said rolling over Nigel chair and then grabbing them both a cup of coffee.**

**"So how have you been Karen?" Sydney asked as she handed one of the coffees to Karen**

**"It seems like ages since we've actually talked"**

**"Ohh things are great, I got a ninety-five on my English test" Karen said happily as she sipped her coffee**

**"That's great! I know your English professor and his tests are anything but easy" Sydney said, she was so proud of Karen she was really smart and she worked extremely hard for her grades.**

"**I studied non stop for two weeks before the test, I was so nervous" Karen replied**

**"You didn't even stop to do your work here?" Sydney said playfully to Karen**

**"Well of coarse I had to do my work here Syd you guys keep me so busy If I took a break I' could never catch up!" Karen said laughing going along with the joke**

**"So what are you doing for Spring Break?" Sydney said changing the subject**

**"Oh my family and I are going down to Florida we're going to take my little brother to Disneyland" Karen said**

**"Really? Are you sure about that?" Sydney said smiling slyly at her secretary " I remember going to Florida for spring break in university but it wasn't to go to Disneyland" She could still remember the craziness of it all. the non stop partying, The drinking, the Boys oh yes if there was one thing she remembered about spring break it was that it was not about going to Disneyland"**

**"Yeah I'm sure" Karen said she could tell what Sydney was thinking but she knew that her spring break would defiantly be PG.**

**"It's my brothers birthday and I promised I would go with him" Karen said to Sydney who seemed to be remembering her university spring breaks and was off in her own lala land. **

**"Aww that's sweet of you Karen, I bet you and your brother get along very well" Sydney said snapping out of her own memories and bringing herself back into the conversation.**

**"What are you doing Syd?" Karen asked happy that her boss was paying attention**

**"Oh I'm going back to Hawaii to go visit my dad and jenny" Sydney replied conveniently leaving the part out about asking Nigel to come with her.**

**"That will be fun, it seems like we are both having family oriented vacations this year" Karen said she could tell Sydney got lonely sometimes and going back to Hawaii to spend time with her dad would do her some good.**

**"Yeah something likes that..." Sydney said she was distracted by something on Karen's desk. "Karen when did you get that?" Sydney said as she leaned over and picked up a letter from Karen's desk.**

**"Oh yeah sorry I forgot to give you that, It came in the mail yesterday just after you left." Karen said glancing at the letter then trying to read the look on Sydney's face. "Why is it important?" Karen asked worried now because Sydney's face had gone pale when she read the contents of the letter**

**"NO!" Sydney said a little to quickly and the composed herself " I mean no Karen, but if you get anymore letters that look like this one give them to me right away" Sydney said as she crumpled up the letter and shoved it in her pocket.**

**"Why is something wrong Syd?" **

**"It's nothing Karen really" Sydney said suddenly as she got up and went into her office.**

**Karen knew she shouldn't go after her but she really wanted to. Sydney was never rude, something must really be wrong if it was bothering her that much. She decided to give her boss a little time to sort things out but she would talk to her about it later.**

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**Sydney walked into her office closing her door quietly as to not raise suspicion. This prank caller was really starting to bother her. She had a bad feeling about it and wasn't sure what to do. She walked over to the windows and closed the blinds. She sat down at her desk with a sigh. What the letter had said had sent a chill down her spine and she dared not read it again. She quickly uncrumpled it and threw it in the garbage. With the phone calls, the email, and now the letter she was beginning to think it wasn't just an innocent prank. **

**It had come at the worst of times too just as she realized her feelings for Nigel. She kicked her desk in frustration. "SHIT!" she said realizing that she was once again wearing the cute black stiletto sandals she had bought on Nigel's birthday. And they were not exactly the greatest shoes to take out your anger in. The blood rapidly leaked from her big toe, she had broken the nail all the way down the middle causing intense pain as the freshly torn skin leaked blood.**

**"Sydney?" Karen said rushing into her office and jumping to her friend's side.**

**"Oh, syd that doesn't look good at all, it could get seriously infected!... Wait here all go get the nurse" Karen said quickly examining the toe that was less visible by the second as the blood seeped out covering the front of Sydney's foot and dripping onto the floor.**

**"K" was all that Sydney could manage to sputter as she held her toe. She was not one who was afraid of pain; she had had knife wounds that had hurt less than this. **

**Karen bolted back into the office a second later pulling with her a nurse that could hardly stand from trying to keep up with Karen.**

**"Oh professor Fox got a hurt foot have we" the nurse said slowly approaching Sydney trying to catch her breath.**

**"Well come on I cant help you in here go sit up on the counter over there and stick your foot in the sink... we cant do anything if we can't see through the blood can we?" she said finally catching her breath and calmly walking over to the sink in the outer office.**

**Karen helped Sydney slowly walk over well actually hop over on one foot and helped her up on the counter. She carefully took Sydney's shoe off and placed it on the ground by Nigel's desk.**

**"SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Sydney hissed as the nurse turned on the cool water that was now splashing on her toe.**

**It took five minutes to stop her foot from bleeding but was really sensitive and everytime she moved it the flow started again. **

**  
**

**"Miss Fox I don't know what you did but I've never seen such a severe nail breakage before. I can fix you up for now but your going to need to go see your doctor tonight to get it checked out further" The nurse said as she delicately bandaged Sydney's foot.**

**"I suggest you make as little movement as you possibly can today, and from what I've heard about your classes that means no teaching today, stay in your office then goes straight to the doctors." The nurse commented before she packed up and left.**

**"Thanks" Sydney said as the nurse walked out of the office.**

**"Good job Syd" Karen said sarcastically with a small giggle as she helps Sydney back into her Office.**

**"Well at least the floor will wipe clean" She said observing the now red patch of wood underneath Sydney's desk.**

**"Yeah" Sydney said grabbing some Kleenex and cleaning her office floor.**

**"Thank god we don't have carpet" she said with a small laugh **

**Her smile faded away when she saw Karen was not laughing anymore.**

**"Syd are you going to tell me what's happening" Karen said looking sternly at her friend,**

**  
**

**As she sat down in front of Sydney sitting in the chair in front of her desk.**

**"Nothings happening, I kicked my desk that all" Sydney said staring down as she fiddled with an elastic.**

**"I'm not stupid Syd. And people don't abuse there furniture for nothing" Karen said she was really concerned about Sydney**

**"First you came in and you hadn't slept, then today you go all quiet over a little letter, what's bothering you syd, I thought we were friends and we told each other everything" Karen said reaching over and grabbing Sydney's hand.**

**"We are friends Karen it's just nothing you have to worry about that's all" Sydney said looking down she hated lying to Karen but she didn't want to involve her with this creep.**

**"Syd, tell me" Karen said softly**

**"Well two nights ago I got these odd prank calls and he guys said he was watching me, and when he hung up a car screeched away from my house" Sydney said**

**"And" Karen said knowing her boss wouldn't be this stressed over a little prank**

**"And then yesterday I got an email for the guy again saying that he was watching me, then this morning my window was open and now that letter" Sydney said she was ashamed they all thought she was invincible and she hated letting people see her like this.**

**"Can I see he letter Syd?" Karen asked**

**Sydney didn't even respond she just looked over at the crumpled piece of paper in the garbage.**

**Karen carefully took the slip of paper out and read it quickly**

**"Sydney, this just isn't a prank. you've someone is following you, you've got a stalker. We have to call the police" Karen said reaching for the phone**

**"NO!" Sydney said slamming the phone back down on the receiver "I can take care of it myself, and don't tell Nigel either" **

**"But" Karen managed to sputter out before Sydney interrupted her "But nothing Karen, you can't tell anyone it's a secret"**

**"Well this creep is dangerous syd this isn't just a game Syd" Karen said standing up "but you can take care of yourself right" she said walking out of her boss's office sometimes Sydney couldn't see how dangerous things could really be and it worried her.**

**"Syd just promise me you'll tell me if you're in trouble ok?" Karen said turning back to her boss who had limped to her office door after Karen.**

**"I promise Karen" she said just as Nigel came in the door**

**"Promise what Syd?" he asked **

**"Oh just that next time we are in France we would pick up a necklace that Karen ordered" She said as she limped back to her desk before Nigel noticed her foot**

**"Oh ok" Nigel said as he put his stuff on his desk then followed her into the her office**

**"Hey Nigel I've got a lot of paperwork to do today so could you teach my classes for me?" Sydney said as she shuffled through some papers**

**"Yeah sure Syd" He said he was a little suspicious the "I promise Karen" hadn't sounded like a sure we'll pick up your necklace kind of promise.**

**"Thanks Nigel you saved me" She said he was giving her an odd look like he was trying read her mind.**

**"Nigel you've got to go you'll be late for class" Karen said coming up beside him and passing him Sydney's lesson plan**

**"Well I'm off" he said a he turned around to leave**

**"Bye Nigel" Sydney and Karen said in unison as he left.**

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**OMG that chapter took me forever lol (I'm a slow typer) plz read and review :)**

**-Roxy**


	7. Friends and Lemon Danishes

What Goes Bump In the Night

Chapter 7- Friends and Lemon Danishes

It had been a week since Sydney had told Karen about the prank caller which was now determined to be a stalker, well at least by Karen. Sydney did not really want to consider it a stalker and tried to forget about it most of the time. As the nurse had said she had gone to the doctor and got her foot checked out. It turned out that she had sprained her big toe and bruised the others while kicking the desk. The doctor had decided to cut her toe nail back as far as possible causing a lot of pain and bandaged her foot up. She had been required to stay home for at least a few days until she could actually manage to walk on her foot. So she took a few days off avoiding Nigel saying she had the flu to prevent herself from being thurgholy embarrassed.

Things seemed to hold up at the university or a least that's what Karen had said in her hourly hone calls. Karen had called every hour since she had been home worrying about the creep.

Truthfully Sydney hadn't heard from him at all that week so she was starting to think it was just a prank again. So she relaxed at home enjoying her well deserved time off even if she couldn't walk without a crutch for the first few days. The bruising was now healing and her foot getting back to normal.

There was one problem though. Since she was off for a week and hadn't seen Nigel she hadn't yet told him about Hawaii. She spent had spent the last two days day dreaming up ways to tell him about it. As she got ready for her day of returning she got butterflies in her stomach.

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She pulled her jeep into the university parking lot just as Nigel had gotten out of his cab and started walking towards the courtyard. It was perfect she would sneak up behind him and surprise him.

She ran silently catching up to him quickly just before he rounded the corner into the courtyard. She covered his eyes from behind him.

Nigel stopped dead in his tracks when he felt someone's warm hands cover his eyes "guess who" he heard a familiar voice say from behind.

"SYDNEY!" He said as he turned around embracing her.

"Hey Nigel glad to see me?" she asked hugging him then pulling away so she could see his face.

"Oh Syd I 'm so glad you came back, the dean has been on my back about the exams" he said thinking it was a little odd she was still holding him pressing her body against his.

She held onto him despite the ending of their hug, she had missed him "Oh yea sorry those have to be done by Wednesday don't they"

"Yeah we have to get them done soon, or the students won't have an exam to write, not that they wouldn't be happy" he said stepping away putting some distance between them to not raise suspicion.

"I'm sorry Nigel, Why don't you come over to my house tonight and We will make the exams" she said ignoring the slight sting she felt as he pulled away from her.

"Ok I'll bring pizza" he said as they rounded the corner and walked towards their office.

"Extra Pineapple, Nige" syd said teasing him

"But, Syd fruit doesn't belong on pizza" He whined he really hated pineapple on pizza but it was Sydney's favorite besides extra cheese.

"Please Nigel?" she said batting her eyelashes

"We'll see" He said opening the door for her, letting her enter first as usual.

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"Sydney, we've missed you!" Karen said bolting over to her boss and giving her a big hug as she came in.

"I missed you to Karen" she said as she took off her coat and walked into her office. Karen followed her in like a puppy closing the door behind her.

"So had anymore run-ins with you know who" Karen said seriously as she fiddled with the globe on Sydney's desk.

Sydney thought about her answer, she had sworn she had heard noises at night while she was in bed, but she figured it was just the cat or the strong painkillers the doctor had given her. "None at all, see I told you it was just a prank Karen"

Karen studied her friend for a moment trying to detect any hints that she was lying. "Good but I want you to be careful I have a bad feeling about it"

Sydney knew what she meant; she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched at night. But she knew she was probaly just scaring herself for nothing. "I will don't worry Karen"

Besides you probaly scared him away when you called every hour in the daytime." Sydney said

"You should thank me then" Karen replied as the joke sent hem into a small case of he giggles

"Hey what's so funny" Nigel said letting himself into Sydney's office.

"Just a girl's joke Nigel" Karen said turning around as he entered.

It took a second for him to clue in on what she meant before he spoke "Oh well I don't want to no then" he paused as he walked over to them and revealed a paper bag from behind his back " A breakfast fit for kings right from our very own cafeteria" he said as he passed a Lemon Danish to each of them before he pulled out his own and took a bite of his.

"Thanks Nigel" Sydney managed through bites of the Danish. She had a weakness for lemon Danishes; he knew they were her favorite.

"Yea thanks Nigel" Karen said before devouring hers

"You're very welcome" he said as he finished his. He wiped his mouth clean with one of the napkins and threw it out before handing one to each of his friend who were now focused on the pastries.

He sat down in the chair in front of Sydney's desk; he missed her whole she was away. The office seemed so empty and his days were so boring without her. While she had been gone he felt like a part of him was missing. It had been hard but resisted the urge to check up on her, he knew she wouldn't have wanted him to see her with the flu but it didn't stop him from worrying.

"Did you have a nice time off... well I mean except for the flu thing" He said as she finished her Danish.

" Yeah it was ok I got to watch lots of movies and enough TV for a lifetime" she said standing up "we've got some classes to teach she said grabbing her lesson plan that Karen had already put on her desk.

"Bye guys" Karen said as she followed them out of Sydney's office and watched the as they headed for the class room. She could quite she the feeling that this alleged stalker was gone.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts as she sat back down at her desk. She had to recheck her calculations for the budget. Half an hour later she heard a small thump in Sydney's office. She glanced over just in time to catch a shadow disappear out the window of Sydney's office. She quietly got up grabbing a paperweight as she did. She quietly walked to the door and opened it quickly. No one was there, but the window was left open and there was a letter left on Sydney's desk. She ran over to the window, but no one was in sight. She slammed it closed and locked it in one fluid motion. She turned to Sydney's desk and grabbed the phone. She dialed Sydney's cell number and glanced down at the envelope the sat on Sydney's desk. He stomach tied in knots when she recognized the handwriting.

"Hello?" Sydney answered

"Hey Syd" Karen replied in little more then a raspy whisper, her voice choked up at thought of the stalker being there

"Karen what's wrong?" Sydney asked, she was concerned she never heard Karen so scared before, not even when she was kidnapped.

"Syd, I think you should get back here" Karen managed to say.

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Whoo had a little bit of writers block there for a second, if anyone else doesn't know bruising all your toes is EXTREMELY painful, I did when I was nine and couldn't walk at all for three days, trust me when I say this one - Never Underestimate a Bruise !

Anyways hope you like it um sorry if I'm not able to put anything up until after the weekend, I'm going to my dad's house and then school starts (joy :( ..) any who please Read and Review.

-Roxy


	8. The Letter

Disclaimer - same as usual... read at the start.

Thank you to Tanya Reed and Merrybeans for the reviews :) Sorry about the spelling and grammar I will try to get better at that.

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Chapter 8 - the letter

"What was that all about syd?" Nigel asked, after quickly assigning some bookwork while their beloved professor took a personal phone call.

"N..Nothing just forgot something that's all" Sydney stuttered attempting to regain her composer while still staring at her cell phone.

"It doesn't sound like nothing Syd" Nigel quietly remarked when Sydney put her phone in her black skirt pocket and then looked up at him hiding her worry under a smile.

She looked back at him and stared into his eyes, could he tell she was lying? "I just forgot something at the office Nigel, I'll be right back" she said turning to the door and leaving.

He watched her disappear out the door regaining her super women aura in a few mere seconds. She was amazing. He stared at the door for a while until out of the corner of his eye he saw the students looking at him. A few of the female students had a knowing smirk on their faces.

He shook his head out of his thought and turned to the class "Righ..Right then" he said as he once again began teaching.

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Sydney came into the office quietly and surveyed the room, Karen was not at her desk... where was she her heart skipped a beat then got back to normal when she saw her friend in her office.

"Karen?" Sydney said softly as she leaned in her office doorframe. Her assistant was sitting in the chair in front of her desk staring down at her desk as if into space. She had a look on her face Sydney had only seen a few times before. That wretched look of total fear that consumed someone's total being. When she didn't answer Sydney walked closer to her and gently laid her hand on Karen's shoulder.

"Syd..I saw. and .. and he was here... and.. and the letter" Karen managed to croak out she really hated seaming weak in front of her friends, especially Sydney. She couldn't help it though.

Sydney was concerned now she turned the chair around sideways and crouched in front of her stuttering secretary.

"What do you mean Karen? I don't understand" Sydney asked softly, she could hardly hear Karen let alone understand her

Karen opened her mouth a few times but she couldn't seem to find the words. She sighed and looked over at Sydney's desk.

Sydney focused on Karen for a second staring into her eyes trying to figure out what she was talking about then matched Karen's gaze on her desk.

'No it couldn't be!' she thought to herself. The thought had crossed her mind when she got the call from Karen that it could be the stalker but had cleared it from her mind. Her gaze was fixed on the white envelope on her desk. She stood up slowly and went around her desk, her hand leaving Karen's shoulder in the process. Her stomach dropped when she recognized the hand writing.

Sydney slowly picked up the letter as if it were the worst thing in the world. she dropped into her chair waiting a second as if it were a dream and she was trying to wake up, but it was real. She slowly opened the letter.

I see you from the shadows of night

When you're all alone in the dark

I will come soon.

The guy obviously wasn't a good writer but that fact didn't stop the shiver go down her back. She sat there just staring at the letter for five minutes "I will come soon" she couldn't take her eyes off that one sentence. She pulled her eyes away from the paper and looked at Karen. She threw the letter in the garbage "It's nothing Karen... don't worry" she said trying to convince herself more than her assistant.

"Syd I really think we should call the police.. he broke in! I mean I didn't let him in and he didn't come through the office he came through the window without tripping the alarm... I mean common this guy knows what he's doing syd, maybe its best to get some help." Karen said she couldn't help her rising temper. She hated when people messed with her friends especially Nigel and Sydney.

"I know what I'm doing Karen, Nigel and I have dealt with a lot worse you know so just forget it!" Sydney Snapped at Karen, she knew it wasn't a joke but she couldn't believe it was actually happening.

Karen winced as Sydney yelled at her she forced herself out of the chair and walked out of Sydney's office stopping half way to her desk knowing that Sydney had followed her out. "Sure Syd" she couldn't hide the hurt in her voice having Sydney yell at her was like being cut with a knife and she didn't want to fight with her.

Sydney went towards Karen she hadn't meant to yell at her, she had let the fear overtake her. "Karen... I didn't mean it... I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell"

Karen raised herself from her desk and pulled Sydney into a tight hug "I know, I'm just really scared for you"

"Me too" Sydney admitted in a whisper so quiet, Karen couldn't hear her though they were just millimeters apart.

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It was 6:30 and Nigel was late. When she had rejoined him in the class he had said he would be over a six. She had been pacing for the last half hour. She had looked in the mirror every five minutes, fixing her hair then messing it up again because she didn't want to overdue it. Sydney sighed and looked at her watch as another minute passed she walked into the kitchen and got herself some water from the water cooler. She downed the first glass in one gulp she quickly got herself another. She attempted to drink it quickly again but she choked on the water, and successfully soaked her shirt. _'Damnit' _she thought, the one time it had to happen it had to happen then.

:Ding Dong: her doorbell sounded

"Damnit" she said out loud she tossed the glass in the sink and went to open the door

"Hi Nigel" she said hiding herself behind the door but sticking her head around to see him

"Sorry Syd the..." Nigel attempted but was cut off by Sydney "don't worry about it Nige just give me a second" she interrupted before she turned and ran up the stairs so he couldn't see her with a soaked top like a slob.

"Okay" he said as he kicked of his shoes and put the pizza box on the living room coffee table. He glanced over everything once noticing she had set out paper and pens and books and notes to write the exam from. He hated writing exams almost as much as marking them, but he had to do it. _'But on as a plus you'll get to hang out with Sydney' _his mind reminded him. He smirked as he grabbed some plates and glasses; a sparkle on the floor caught his eye. a small puddle of water was on the floor. _'That's why she was acting odd she spilled water on her_ top' he thought with a small laugh he grabbed a paper towel and wiped it up before returning to the living room.

"Hurry up Syd or I'm going to eat all the pizza!" he called out playfully

Sydney bounded down the stairs and into the living room successfully cutting him off and getting to the pizza first. She opened the box to reveal the extra cheese and pineapple pizza. "Thank Nigel" she said looking back at him before grabbing two pieces.

"Your welcome" he replied as he handed her a plate and grabbing his own slices. "I knew nothing could come between you and your pizza" he said playfully.

Sydney gave him a sarcastic look and tried to hide the giggles that were trying to come out, but she couldn't and they both started laughing. They finished there slices soon and started working on the exams.

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Sydney woke up silently and looked around. She recognized the dimly lit living room and groaned as her eyes fell on the exams. They still weren't done, but they were three quarters of the way there. She saw Nigel on the other end of the couch, a binder full of there class notes still on his lap. She chuckled quietly he always was so... so diligent, he worked himself into sleep. She rested her head on her shoulder and stared at him. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, so young and carefree. He was gorgeous. she suddenly had the urge to touch him. she softly took the book off his lap and brushed away the loose wisps of hair from his eyes. her hand shot back as he started to stir. It was only for a moment though and he went back into a deep sleep in seconds. "Ohh Nigel" she sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder. his head slowly laid itself on hers. She felt so comfortable as she slowly drifted back into sleep.

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Ugghh I'm eating pizza as I write this if you can't tell… when I started writing the chapter last night, we had pizza. Then I had leftover pizza for lunch and now as I'm writing this to you with one hand, Im trying to decide if I'm going to puke if I finish this last part of pizza in my left hand that my sister's friend's mom so kindly brought us. Lesson learned… no matter how much you love pizza don't eat it for three meals in a row :( (I skipped breakfast) 'Takes a bite' yea trust me on this one… excuse me I have to go puke.


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